Surrender
by Zombie450AriesBournePrincess
Summary: AU Story! Zoe losses her mother when she's 16, Ethan doesn't want her. Zoe finds her rebellious stage dealing with the loss of her parents. She's forced to move away from the only home she's ever known to the colorful town of Bluebell, Alabama to live with the father she never knew existed. Can Wade get past her attitude to actually show her, he's more like her than she knows?
1. Chapter 1

**Another AU story about Wade and Zoe as teens. Only part of the story will be of them as teens, at a certain point where I see fit there will be a time jump. Zoe's life changes in a huge way and for Wade, not much has changed. I'm not 100 percent on this story yet, so feedback is greatly appreciated.**

* * *

Zoe looked at her reflection in the mirror in the bathroom at the airport. Black skinny jeans, a dark purple tank top and a black hoodie with a silver star design on it. Her hair was no longer a dark brown color, but a jet black. She had only ever met Harley once when he had flown to New York to do the requested paper work to get her from Ethan's care. She stepped out of the bathroom and walked through the airport. Sure enough the older man was waiting for her.

"Hello, Zoe. It's good to have you here," he greeted her. Zoe came to a stop with the one suitcase she had. "The rest of your stuff arrived the other day. It's all in your room," he continued sensing that Zoe wasn't going to say anything. "Alright let's get you home."

"This isn't my home," Zoe muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Harley asked turning to look at her.

"Not a thing," Zoe snapped back starting to become annoyed. This was the last place she wanted to be. She wanted to be back home with her parents. But that was impossible now. She tossed her suitcase into the trunk of Harley's car. She got in and buckled her seat belt. She took her iPod and headphones out of the pocket on her hoodie and let her music fill the emptiness. Her cell phone followed suit only to see that her phone was dead. She huffed resting her head against the head rest closing her eyes.

* * *

_"I hate you!" Zoe screamed looking at her mother who hadn't faltered at her's daughter's outburst. "You would think for once your daughter would be your first priority but noo not for you, it's always about work," Zoe yelled slamming her door shut._

_She had spent hours in her room her music blasting to keep the pain and anger her mom had caused at bay. She tried to focus on her school work but she couldn't. Everything merged into one long problem. Every word ran together. She kept reading the same few words over and over again. Turning her music off she went to see who was at the door. She pulled it open to see a police officer on the other side._

_"What's going on?" Zoe asked suddenly feeling her stomach sink to her knees._

_"Can I come in?" Zoe stepped aside motioning for the officer to enter. "I'm sorry to say this, but your mother, a Candice Hart, has been involved in a car accident. I'll take you to her."_

_All the way to the hospital Zoe's head was in a fog. She didn't feel, she didn't think. She hadn't done any thing. She couldn't even remember talking to a nurse that told her what room she could find her mom in. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open._

_For the past week Zoe had been coming to the hospital to visit her mom. She was still in a coma and she still couldn't breathe on her own. No one had hopes of her making it out of this. It was a Wednesday morning two months after her mom had been admitted to the hospital when Zoe came in to see her dad in the waiting room._

_"Dad, what are you doing?" Zoe asked not really wanting to hear his answer._

_"Their wasn't anything they could have done to save her, Zoe. I'm sorry but her being in a coma for years to come does none of us any good. It's best this way." Zoe fell to the floor hard violent sobs shaking her body. That was only where the bad news had started._

* * *

"Welcome home." Zoe pulled her ear buds out and looked at the old yellow two-story house. She followed Harley into inside. "The first door on the left is your room," Harley informed her. Zoe went straight for the stairs that sat off to the side of the front door. She shut her door and started to get things unpacked. She was going to be stuck here for the next two years. This was her home whether she wanted to be here or not. Zoe had been so wrapped up in getting things unpacked she never realized that it was now dusk outside. She ventured downstairs going to the kitchen to look for a bite to eat. She hadn't had anything since before boarding the plane.

"Is there anything to eat?" Zoe asked shutting a cupboard door with a little extra force making it swing back open with a bang.

"I was going to come get you to go eat at the Rammer Jammer." She gave Harley an odd look but followed him out the door. "Zoe, I know this is the last place on earth you wanna be, and I'm sorry about your mom, I can't make her come back."

"I don't need you to bring her back, but you are right, I don't want to be here. I want to be with my real father, with my friends, in New York. But I can't do that because my mother happened to be a slut and got knocked up with some random stranger," Zoe huffed.

"I get you're hurt, but you don't ever talk about your mother like that again. You don't know anything about that. I may be some random stranger but at the end of the day I'm your father, and you now live under my roof with my rules." Zoe rolled her eyes. She wasn't little anymore. She didn't need someone to tell her what it was she can and can't do, especially a man she barely knew. She plopped down in a chair flipping through the menu she had been handed. She could hear the faint murmurs around the place that were about her. She tried not to let them bother her. At first she pushed it all way. They didn't know anything about her. But slowly it started to get on her nerves and she couldn't leave soon enough.

Zoe said nothing more as they ate or the walk back home. She kept looking for something to do but the town was so small she couldn't find anything. Instead of going in the house she sat on the front steps watching the last visible light of day slowly vanish.

"You must be Harley's daughter, Zoe?" She looked up to see a kid on a skateboard. "I'm Wade."

"You figure that out on your own? You gotta be the town genius," Zoe mocked.

"More like the town smart ass, or the town player, whatever one you prefer."

"I prefer that you leave me the hell alone," Zoe snapped getting to her feet. His small town charm wasn't going to work on her.

"We'll see how that goes for you," Wade smirked. Zoe glared at him and stomped her way inside the house. She ignored Harley and went to her room shutting the door. She flopped down on the bed and held her pillow to her chest and cried herself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Zoe sat in the office with Harley as her guidance consular went over what the rules and guidelines were at CLJJ high. Zoe wasn't paying attention. She wanted her mom, she wanted her friends, her old school. Above all else she wanted her old life back. The one where her future was set in stone. The one where she knew who she was and what she wanted out of life. Her spark for life had fizzled out. She was stuck in some small town that barely had anything. It felt like she was in a nightmare from hell. One that was going to last the next two years. She couldn't wait to be out of here.

"Zoe, these are yours to keep." Zoe took the books that were handed to her. "Here's your schedule. Welcome to Cyrus Lavinius Jeremiah Jones High School."

"Sure," Zoe replied getting up.

"You wanted to see me?" Wade asked sticking his head in. Zoe groaned to herself seeing the boy who had bugged her, her first night.

"Uh, yes, Wade this is Zoe Hart. You have some classes with her. 1st period so I would like you to help Miss Hart out for the next few days. Make sure she gets to her classes, has some people to sit with at lunch. Show her to her locker. That kind of stuff." Zoe rolled her eyes. She wasn't some little girl who couldn't make friends and find some classrooms. She really didn't wanna make new friends anyhow.

"Sure," Wade smirked holding the door open. Zoe walked out seeing Wade motioning for her. "Where's your locker?" Wade asked. Zoe said nothing and handed the piece of paper over to him. "That was Nick's locker. I guess he really did get kicked out of school." Zoe noted the sad undertone in his voice. They walked down a few halls, turning to go up a flight of stairs. They walked down the main hall coming to a bunch of lockers. "This is yours," Wade told her standing off to the side. "Lucky you, this my locker." Zoe groaned seeing that Wade's locker was right next to hers.

"Lucky," Zoe mumbled with sarcasm. "I must've won the lottery and didn't even know!" Zoe faked excitement turning the knob on the lock.

"Being rude like that ain't gonna get you far," Wade shot at her. Zoe sighed.

"Sorry," Zoe told him softly. He was being nice to help her out. She was positive he was only doing it to avoid being in class.

"Don't worry 'bout it," Wade told her. Zoe sighed and pulled her locker open. She stuffed her bag in pulling out her notebook, a pen and a pencil. They walked to their chemistry class in silence. Part of Zoe was excited for Chemistry. She loved science. Ever since she realized she wanted to be a doctor. She didn't let it show though. They walked into the classroom seeing the students were busy talking until they spotted Zoe. That's when the whole room fell silent. Wade handed his slip over and Zoe walked up to the teacher handing over the paper she was supposed to.

"Hello, Zoe. I'm Mrs. Juniper. Welcome to Chemistry." Zoe nodded taking the book that was being offered to her. "Class this is Zoe Hart, she comes from Manhattan. Please show her some respect." Zoe looked around the classroom seeing that all eyes were still on her. She squirmed slightly. "The only open spot we have is by Wade, please take your seat." Zoe walked to the back of the class room sitting in the desk by Wade.

Every class Zoe walked into was the same. Kids would stop what they were doing and stare at Zoe. She didn't let their hushed whispers get to her. At Lunch Wade made sure he found her and sat with her. She watched as a guy had sat down and two girls. Zoe looked down at the food that was on her tray. The last thing she wanted to do was socialize. She had nothing upbeat to say to any of them.

"I'm George, this is Annabeth and that's Lemon." Zoe nodded looking at him and the two he pointed at.

"I'm Zoe, but by now the whole school, no scratch that this whole town knows that," Zoe replied taking a bite of her pasta. No one knew what to say to that so they started their own conversation letting Zoe be.

"Did you hear about Emily?" AB asked. Lemon shook her head.

"No, what?"

"She went to Daphne with Lenny, her older brother."

"AB, I know who Lenny is," Lemon told her with a smug smile.

"Right, anyway he went to see a group of his friends and they started to drink and he refused to hand the keys to his precious truck over. On the drive home he ended up wrapping the truck around a tree. Emily has a few broken bones but she'll be fine. Lenny on the other hand is in a coma. Not sure if he'll make it."

"That's horrible," Lemon stated than sighed. "We need to have emergency try outs later in the week." AB nodded along understanding what Lemon meant. Zoe shook her head. She couldn't believe they could be so heartless.

"So it's true? Nate got busted?" George asked leaning closer to Wade.

"Sure as shit. We all knew it would only be a matter of time. Every weekend he'd go visit his brother in college he would come home with a stash of drugs. He kept them in his locker. Zoe grimaced hearing that drugs use to be in her locker. Could she request a new one?

"Where do you think he went?" George asked with a slight chuckle.

"You know his parents threatened to send him off to military school if he messed up again. Buzz cuts and push ups are in his future."

"He did it to himself," George replied getting up. Zoe got up taking care of her trash and her tray. This perfect little town on the outside wasn't so perfect after all.

She finished off her school day more than happy to hear the final bell ring. She had to a lot of work to catch up on. That was the one thing she hated about moving to a new school in the middle of the year. She had to play catch up. It wouldn't take her long. Some of the things she had already learned. She was able to avoid Wade after school and walked to the practice.

"What can I do you for?" Zoe looked up to see the middle-aged woman behind the reception desk.

"I'm looking for Harley Wilkes."

"He's in his office, there," the lady pointed. "Go right on in." Zoe turned on her heel and walked into Harley's office.

"Zoe, is it time already?" Zoe nodded leaning against the door jamb. "Alright, I'm finished here for the day. Let's go." Zoe walked outside getting into Harley's car, dreading the 20 minute drive that lay before them.


	3. Chapter 3

Zoe sat in her chair and looked around at the other people who filled each chair forming a circle. She didn't want to be here, it was either she come to a group to discuss her problems or go to a therapist. She wasn't crazy, she was hurt. She didn't need some big shot to tell her what she already knew. She was supposed to be listening to what the others were saying but she drowned them out her eyes landing on a squirrel that was outside on a tree.

"I find that it's hard to live life from day-to-day. There's so many times I just wanna call it quits." Hearing the older teen say that had stricken Zoe with fear. What if she felt that way in the future? That wasn't her now. She had a whole life time ahead of her to live a normal life. She would get over her mother's death and move on with life and be happy. She was sure of it. But there was a small part of Zoe that told her otherwise.

"Zoe, would you like to share today?" Zoe shook her head. She wasn't ready for a bunch of people she didn't even know to judge her. "That's alright you don't have to share today. That's it for today. I'll see everyone next week." Zoe got up quickly going for the door, she didn't want to be here any longer than she had to be. She quickly found Harley in the parking lot and got into the car.

"How did it go?" Harley asked starting the car.

"Fine," Zoe replied.

"Are you hungry?" Harley asked trying to get Zoe to talk more.

"No, not really. I get you're trying to get me to open up to you but the truth is, I don't know you and I don't feel comfortable enough to let you in yet. Nothing personal. I just need time to grieve in my own way," Zoe told him as politely as she could. He already knew everything she had to go through before coming here. It wasn't as if she needed to tell him, herself.

"I understand." Harley was happy that she hadn't snapped at him. The rest of the drive was spent in silence.

Once at home Harley started to make something for dinner. Zoe went up to her room. She sighed looking at the stranger that looked back at her. She wasn't one for black or heavy make-up. This wasn't her, but yet she wasn't sure who she was. She was lost. For the first time in her life she didn't know how each day was going to be.

"Zoe, dinner is ready." Zoe got up and made her way to the dinning room. She smiled lightly at Harley and ate the food that was placed in front of her. "I've got an early start tomorrow. I trust you'll be fine?"

"I will be," Zoe replied taking her plate into the kitchen. Zoe headed into the living room to see what she could find on TV. She stopped when she found an old episode of Sex and the City.

After 2 hours of watching episodes she had already seen she decided to head out for a little nightly walk to help clear her mind.

The pressure of pretending to be someone she wasn't was starting to get to her. She wanted to go back to the old her. But she was afraid that Zoe was already to far gone. She looked at her wrists trying to figure out why so many people found it was easy to cut themselves when things were going horrible. She couldn't do that. Whether it was the lack of the strength it took to press a sharp object to her wrist or the strength not to do something so pity, she was happy. She wanted the pain she felt for her mother to be gone. She wanted the hurt Ethan had given her to vanish. Her pain and hurt mixed together forming a bubble that felt like it was going to burst at a moments notice.

"I hate how things have become. Dad finds more comfort in his bottle than he does me. I miss you, Mom," Wade spoke bringing Zoe from her thoughts, she stopped at the cemetery seeing Wade sitting on the ground in front of a headstone. Zoe walked up sitting next to him. She wanted to be else where but she had a feeling she needed to be here. "I was just little when I lost her, to cancer. I can't remember much but I know I loved her. She was my mother. The last several years have been hard on me. I lost my whole family. My dad turned into an alcoholic, my brother enlisted and left without giving his little brother a second thought," Wade told her playing with a forget-me-not. He found it was easier to open up to someone he barely knew and not his friends. They always felt sorry for him.

"I didn't know," Zoe told him softly. Hearing Wade break down and tell her something personal touched her. Maybe the real her was still inside after all.

"I know," Wade responded laying the flower on the ground. "You put this hard shell up around you to keep people at bay, but sometimes it's nice to let someone in. Not everyone is going to hurt you," Wade told her making a move to get up. He didn't know what she was going through but he had imagined it wasn't easy for her. He could also see that this person she was portraying to be wasn't who she really was. He had noticed how she lit up in science class. That part of who she really was, had shown through the hard exterior she had on.

"She was in a car accident," Zoe said getting Wade to sit back down. "I yelled at her that I hated her before she left. It was something stupid over school. She was left in a coma for months. Her condition worsened. My fath... Ethan," Zoe told him catching her mistake. She wasn't sure what was making her spill to him, but slowly as the words left the tip of her tongue, she was slowly feeling better. "Gave the orders to pull the plug on her. I hated him for it, I think I still might."

"Zoe, I'm sorry," Wade responded putting an arm around Zoe. She moved into him and cried softly for a few minutes. "I really don't know what to say. I'm not very good at comforting people."

"It's ok and you did fine." Zoe sat up trying to wipe her tears away. "He didn't want me," Zoe told him with a sniffle wiping her eyes. "Ethan, I wasn't his daughter, so he sent me here. I had lost everything I ever knew in a few short hours."

"At least you have a father that's alert to take care of you. Mine's passed out on the couch."

"We do have a couch that's fairly comfy, if you ever want a break from your father, you've got a place to stay for a night or two. I'm sure Harley wouldn't mind. It can't be easy to be the one stuck looking out for your father."

"Thanks for that offer, Zoe. You're not as bad as I had thought."

"I didn't make it easy on anyone the last few days, you're a good person, Wade," Zoe confessed getting up. She had already let him in there was no sense in putting that wall back up when it came to him. She was free to be herself around him and that alone was freeing.

"It's pretty late, I don't want Sheriff Bill to give ya a hard time about being out after curfew. Let me walk ya home." Zoe nodded.

"Harley had bought some game system. He wasn't sure if I played video games or not. Wanna stay for a while and play?" Zoe asked as they slowly approached her house.

"Sure, why not? There is no school tomorrow and dad wont know I'm out this long." Zoe smiled pushing the door open. She led Wade into the living room and they settled on some Guitar Hero. Wade helped Zoe figure the game out.

About an hour later Zoe had just finished up with a song. She turned around to hand Wade the guitar. She smiled slightly seeing Wade was passed out on the couch. She grabbed a blanket and covered him up. She got everything turned off and went up to bed. For the first time since her mother's accident she was happy. She had realized it was ok to open up about what had happened to her and that Wade was a pretty decent guy.


	4. Chapter 4

Zoe felt so much better when she put on her pink top and light blue pair of shorts. She had even pulled out a pair of black booties. She was starting to feeling like herself and she had Wade to thank for that. She hurried downstairs to see that Wade was still passed out on the couch.

"Care to fill me in?" Harley asked happy to see that his daughter was wearing more cheerful clothes. It was hard to ignore the fact Wade Kinsella was sleeping on his couch. The boy does snore.

"I went for a late night walk. He told me about his home life, and I told him about mine. It felt good," Zoe shrugged.

"I'm happy that you have found someone to open up to, but what is he doing here, on my couch?"

"Oh, he uh fell asleep last night," Zoe explained. Seeing the look on his face she felt she needed to explain. And not for anyone to think they had slept together. She wasn't stupid, she heard the rumors about Wade. "He walked me back here, we played some video games and he had crashed. Think what you will about me, but I'm not the type of person to jump into bed with any guy I'm dating let alone a guy I don't even know."

"I wasn't thinking that at all," Harley replied in a stern voice. Their attention got averted to the thump that came from the living room.

"Ouch!" Wade muttered loud enough to make Zoe giggle. He walked into the kitchen rubbing his head.

"I'm fine," he told Harley sitting in a chair across from Zoe. He had heard Zoe's speech. There was a tug of a feeling he couldn't place that started in the pit of his stomach. He pushed the strange feeling away and decided to roll off the couch, not his best idea but it worked.

"I didn't know if you wanted me to wake you last night," Zoe told him softly. "Sorry about that."

"Zo, you have no reason to be sorry. I should be sorry for falling asleep on you."

"Nah, it's no big deal," Zoe told him with a soft smile.

"You have any plans today?" Wade asked getting to his feet. Zoe shook her head. "I'll be back in about an hour or so and we can go find something to do. That ok?" He didn't want to intrude on her day.

"Yeah, that's fine. Why?" Zoe asked getting up. Wade shrugged.

"Wanted to make sure, is all." Wade walked to the door, stopping. He looked at Zoe. "I like this look on you better than all that black baggy clothes. You look pretty amazing." He had another word in mind but he didn't feel that comfortable in saying it in front of Harley. Zoe could feel her blood rushing to her cheeks. Suddenly her finger nails had all of her attention.

"Thanks," Zoe told him barely above a whisper.

"Wade is a nice boy and all, but most the rumors are true about him," Harley said a few minutes after Wade had left. "You need to be careful when it comes to him." Zoe nodded walking upstairs. Just 'cause Wade's reputation perceived him one way didn't mean there wasn't a different side that he was scared to show anyone. She knew how that was. She still wasn't ready for all of Bluebell to see Zoe Hart, but Wade was a different story. Letting him in had helped her and she could only hope that Wade was doing the same thing and letting her in.

About an hour later Zoe found herself outside sitting on the front steps. She had decided that the day was too beautiful to waste it in doors sitting around doing nothing. Harley had already left for the practice. She was ready to explore the town she was forced to live in but she had to wait for Wade to come back. She didn't want to be rude and be gone after she told him she would hang out with him for the day.

"Aww how sweet, you're already waiting on me," Wade smirked causally strolling up to her. Zoe gave him a deadly glare. "Can't you take a joke?" He asked holding a hand out.

"I can take a joke, when it's funny!" Zoe snapped shoving his hand away to stand up. Wade used his hand to cover his heart.

"Ouch that hurts the ego," Wade told her in somber tone. Zoe rolled her eyes looking at him. "I've got this little spot, away from the town."

"Wade, I'm not gonna be doing anything like that with you. I've heard the stories that circle through this town about you," Zoe quickly stated assuming there was a hidden message behind his words.

"I just figured that you would want to spend the day away from prying eyes. I would never force you into doing anything. I do happen to know what NO means." Zoe instantly felt bad for assuming something like that.

"I'm sorry, and that would kinda be nice," Zoe told him her tone softening.

"It's alright, it's a bit of a walk so you might wanna uh change shoes." The last thing he needed was for her to break an ankle or twist it.

"I'll be right out." Zoe quickly changed her shoes and went back out.

They had started their little journey in silence. This had been the most of Bluebell Zoe had seen since she showed up in the place. She wanted to hate the place but seeing the town now from a different stand point the place wasn't that bad, it almost seemed like the perfect little place to be. It wasn't until they started to walk down a dirt path that led into the woods that Zoe started to freak out.

"Where are you taking me?" Zoe asked coming to a complete stop. Hearing Wade chuckle lightly did nothing to help sooth Zoe. In all honesty she didn't know the boy she was with. He shared some of his past with her but that didn't really tell her who is now. He could have said anything to lure her into the woods so he could do as he pleased.

"I don't know what kind of guys you were around in the big city, but down here we're gentlemen. I would never force my way on you or any BS like that. I'm not going to harm a single hair on your head. In order to get to the spot, we need to go through the woods here. Nothing scary is going to jump out at you. No killers or anything. Zoe you need to relax." Zoe looked down feeling bad that yet again she had jumped to the wrong conclusion of him.

"Sorry, it's just I don't know you and you never said we were going to be walking through the woods to get this spot of yours. I didn't mean to make you out as this big bad guy or anything like that. It's just that the woods kinda creep me out," Zoe told him kicking the ground with her foot.

"Nothing to be scared of. You really have to stop assuming things about me and everyone else. We're not bad, we're not going to hurt you. We're all friendly here. This guard you have up, you need to let it go. No wants to see you in any more pain." Zoe nodded at his words knowing he was right.

"It's not that easy, and you should understand that, Wade. Losing your parents isn't the easiest thing in the world to go through. Yea sure, Harley is my biological father, but I didn't even know he existed until I was forced to move here. In a sense he's my father, but to me he doesn't feel like my father."

"I can understand that, it's not easy to always have a smile on your face to prove that you're fine when all you want is sometime to be alone. For everyone around you to leave you alone so you can have time to actually breath without someone making a big deal about it. It's not easy to have a father care more about how much booze he has left then over a football game his youngest son is in." Zoe didn't know what she was supposed to say to that. She felt sorry for him, that he had to go through that, but she didn't want him to think she was taking pity on him. Because she wasn't. She was starting to care about him as a friend. "Can we keep walking now?" Wade asked after a few minutes of silence. Zoe nodded and walked a little further behind him.

"Wade," Zoe said after a few steps. "You've already told me so much about your life and everything and anytime you need someone to talk to, I'm around. I have no reason to run out and tell anyone your business, what I'm trying to say is, everything you tell me is safe."

"Uh, thanks, Zoe," Wade responded kicking a rock as he walked. "If you feel like you need a friend to talk to, you've got me. It can't be easy to be new here and be an outsider like yourself."

"Oh, gee, thanks, Wade," Zoe giggled. Wade smiled hearing her laugh for the second time that day. He had never heard her laugh before and it suited this Zoe that was starting to show.

The rest of the walk went by in silence. By the time they had got to the little clearing that over looked the lake Zoe was hot and needed something to drink. The water had even been tempting to jump into but she didn't have a swimsuit with her and she wasn't going to jump in with all her clothes on. She sat in a shady part on the grass feeling the cool breeze that came off the lake.

"It might be a tad warm," Wade told her taking a spot on the grass by her. Zoe looked at the beer in her hand. She heard the pop from the one Wade had. "Sometimes, it's nice to forget all the pain you have ever been in." She had snuck a few drinks at parties when she lived in New York and it had been fun and that was the purpose of it. She had never used alcohol to help ease her pain away. Slowly she pulled the tab up to pop open her beer. Slowly she let the warm bitter liquid run down her throat. "There's more in the cooler if you want another," Wade told her getting to his feet. He pulled his shirt over his head. Zoe had found that she needed to look at the ground, otherwise she would be staring at him.

"What are you doing?" Zoe asked trying to pay him no attention when he started to undo his pants.

"Going for a swim," Wade told her taking his pants off. She hadn't even realized that he had his shoes off before joining her on the grass. Now that he stood next to her in just his boxers she was having a hard time not glancing at him. "Strip down and jump in. The water feels nice," Wade said running and jumping into the water.

She was hot and the water did look refreshing. She slipped her shoes and socks off. She needed to have some fun and let loose. It wouldn't be as if she was naked in the water. She would still have her some kind of clothing on. She pulled her shirt off to reveal her white cotton bra. Now Wade was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of Zoe. She undid her shorts and pushed them down her legs. Wade gulped, his eyes were glued to Zoe. He was going to find it hard to keep his hands off of her especially when her matching white bra and panty set got wet. She could feel Wade's eyes on her and with what little clothing she had on she felt a surge of excitement course through her veins. She jumped into the water instantly cooling off.


	5. Chapter 5

Zoe laid on the bank having enough of the water. She laid soaking the sun up with her eyes closed. She hadn't put her clothes back on yet 'cause she wanted to dry off first. Wade groaned sitting next to her. He was finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes away from her, now he could see so much more with how soaked the cotton fabric was hugging her tight.

"Is it killing you that much that you can't touch?" Zoe asked sitting up taking his beer away from him.

"No," Wade stated with a shaky breath.

"Ok," Zoe stated with a small giggle knowing better. "So you drink to help mask the pain, does having sex with all those girls help mask the pain as well?" Zoe asked looking down. Wade took his beer back taking a drink from it.

"It's nothing like that," Wade said. "I haven't exactly had sex with any of them," he stated.

"What do you mean exactly?" Zoe asked. "Either you've had sex or you haven't."

"A lot of making out and fondling but nothing more. Ever! I know I'm known as the player but I'm really not. People wanna think they know me and what goes on in my life and with the girls I hang out with. Just because they're the easy ones doesn't mean I take 'em up on their offer," he confessed.

"Oh," Zoe replied. She was starting to see Wade in a whole new light. She was liking this Wade a lot better than the cocky and arrogant Wade.

"Now that you know I haven't went all the way with girl, what about you?" Wade asked finishing his beer off.

"I haven't let a guy go that far, yet," Zoe told him. "I've always wanted it to be special, ya know?" Zoe asked grabbing another beer.

"Not really. I do hear my friends girl, you know Lemon," Zoe nodded her head clearly remembering the blond. "go on about the first time being perfect. It's just something I don't care about."

"Cause you're not a girl," Zoe told him with a slight push.

"Thank god for that!" Wade stated. Zoe gave him a look before laughing. Once her laughter died down, they become quiet. They could hear the birds chirping. Zoe smiled happy that she had come with Wade today. Zoe stood up stretching.

"You have dirt stuck to your ass," Wade responded. Zoe shrugged.

"So?" She asked. "I'm sure you do too," she told him walking back over to the water diving in. Wade sat watching as she swam about. At first she was just the new girl in town and he had set out to annoy her but now he was starting to develop feelings for her. Something he never wanted to happen. He didn't want to fall in love only for it to end badly. He shook the thoughts from his head and jumped into the water scaring Zoe in the process. "What the heck, Wade?" Zoe yelled splashing him with some water.

"Just having fun," he smirked splashing her back. Zoe huffed dunking him under. Wade pulled her under the water with him. They both resurfaced awfully close to each other. Zoe bite her lip seeing Wade's tongue dart out across his lips. They're heads moved closer together until their lips were pressed together, moving on their own accord. Wade pulled Zoe closer by her hips, her body pressing into his. Zoe wrapped her arms around his neck. Soon enough their tongues were dancing together.

Zoe pulled away biting her lip. Wade had rested his forehead against hers a smirk firmly in place. She could feel the bulge in his boxers pressing against her. The heat within in her was over taking her body. She needed to be away from him before things went further than she was ready for. She quickly pulled away going to get out of the water.

Wade had felt the need to be with Zoe surge through his body. He had thought Zoe felt the same way. That they would take this growing friendship to a whole new level. Part of him was pissed that she walked away but another part of him, the knowing and understanding part was relieved that she had walked away before things got to be too much and they wouldn't be able to take it back.

"Not here like this, not now. I can't sleep with you," Zoe told him shaking her head holding her arms around herself. She kept her back to him. Wade sighed getting out of the water. He walked up behind Zoe slipping his arms around her waist holding her.

"I wasn't expecting you to have sex with me, we we're making out. Nothing more was gonna happen unless you wanted it to, Zo. I told you before I know what the word no means," Wade whispered placing soft kisses on her bare shoulder.

"That's the thing," Zoe whispered turning around in his arms. "I do want more. You make everything disappear, I feel so safe being here with you. It scares me 'cause I don't really know you," she confessed burying her head into the crook of his neck. Wade gently started to rub her back trying to sooth her. Everything she had said he could relate to. She made the whole world go away. All the pain that had been caused in his life vanished the second he saw her. He wanted more, he did, but he didn't want it to seem like he was using her or she was his next conquest on his list, he didn't even have.

"I get it, Zo. I feel the same way. Why don't we get dressed and get a bite to eat," Wade suggested. Zoe nodded removing herself from Wade's hold.

"Can I go home first and wash the dirt off?" Zoe asked in a small voice.

"Of course, Zo, you don't need to be afraid of me now. I'm not going to have my way with you," Wade chuckled getting their mess cleaned up. Zoe smiled. She wanted Wade to be her first but not right now, she wanted to get to know him, really know him, maybe date him if that was his kind of thing. "I'm sorry if I was crossing a line back there," Wade said into there walk back to town.

"It's alright and you weren't crossing a line. We were making out and I happened to freak out with what I was feeling on the inside. I'm sorry for ruining it," she told him. Wade reached down to hold her hand in his.

"You didn't ruin anything, made things more exciting," Wade winked causing Zoe's cheek to burn a light shade of red. "I get you want your first time to be special and mean something to you. I respect that." Zoe smiled feeling that everything was going to be ok for the first time since moving to Bluebell. "Today was fun."

"It really was," Zoe smiled. "I guess Harley's home. You wanna come in and wait or what?" Zoe asked not wanting Wade to leave yet.

"I know we were going to get a bite to eat, but uh, rain check?" Wade asked. Zoe nodded. Wade kissed her cheek and walked off. Zoe walked into the house and made it to her room without seeing Harley. She showered and changed into shorts and a tank top. She headed downstairs to find something to eat.

"I didn't know you were home," Harley announced walking out of his study. "Have a fun day with Wade?" He asked getting a cup of water.

"Yep, we went swimming. No funny business at all. Wade was on his best behavior. Nothing to worry about," Zoe replied hurrying away from Harley.

"That's good," he responded.

"Yep, it was long day, I'm gonna go crash in my room."

"Alright," he sighed. He felt like Zoe was avoiding him for a reason. She had done something she wasn't suppose to do. He'd let it go this time. He couldn't actually prove she had done something wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

"Why aren't you at church?" Wade asked sitting next to Zoe on the bench in the town square. She refrained from laughing. She supposed it wasn't a stupid question, even if it did feel like a stupid question at that.

"Me? Church?" She asked. "The same could be asked about why, you're not there?"

"Haven't since I was a boy and my mom could drag me there," Wade replied a faint smile coming out.

"Do you always find it this easy to talk about your mom?" Zoe asked finding a sudden interest in her hands.

"No, it's hard, always is, ya know?" Wade asked. He wasn't expecting an answer. "Things will be easy and tough. You can have a fun time and then she'll pop into your head and that happiness you had drops instantly and it's replaced with guilt. I see how my dad is from losing the love of his life and I told myself I wont go through that ever. I don't want to feel the pain of losing someone I love with my whole heart." His anger from losing his mother was starting to poke through. Zoe thought she should be scared. She didn't know what he was capable of doing once his anger came out full force. She did what she thought was the better option of her two choices.

"I get it," Zoe spoke softly placing her hand on his arm to calm him down. "I want to get know my real father, but she kept him a secret from me. If she was still alive, I still wouldn't know he existed. I wanna hate her for keeping something so huge from me, but I can't. I want to like it here, give this place a chance, but it's hard to do that because it feels like I'm betraying her. At times I hate myself for it, but I just want to be happy," Zoe spoke. She stopped to wipe a stray tear from her eye. With a sniffle she continued on. "How can I be happy, when I was so pissed at her? She didn't get to hear me tell her I was sorry, that I forgave her, that I loved her?" Zoe could feel a break down coming on but she tried with all her might to keep the tears from flooding out.

"I'm sure she knows that you loved her deeply, that you didn't mean the words you had told her before she got into the accident." Zoe shrugged at his words.

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Zoe snapped replacing her depression with anger. "She's gone, she finally got her wish, she's away from me and I'm the one stuck living in hell!" Zoe shouted. She got up ready to storm off. Wade got up grabbing her arm, pulling her flush against his body.

"It does matter, Zo. This isn't about her. Don't let her keep you from enjoying your life. She's in the back of your mind, like a plague, but you need to let her go. You may think you hate her, but you love her, you need her. You're mad because she's not here to tell you that everything is going to be fine. That you can make it through this, that you, Zoe Hart, are a strong and beautiful woman. From the inside out." Zoe scoffed at him.

"I'm not strong. No where near it. I'm a pathetic girl, who has lost her way in this world. Everything use to be so clear, but now my future is filled with this muck, with so much uncertainty," Zoe told him with an awful bitter taste of failure in her mouth.

"You pathetic? Never! Nowhere near it. You're vulnerable because you lost two people you held dear to your heart. You need the right person to come along and fix it for you. Give it time, your whole future will be cleared up again. You need to grieve, Zo." Softly Wade pressed his lips against her temple lingering a few seconds longer than need be.

"Like you?" Zoe asked barely above a whisper.

"I'm the last person to mend your broken heart," Wade replied a chuckle falling dead on his lips. He cupped her cheeks letting his thumb caress her soft wet cheeks. "I'm beyond screwed up, Zoe. Like I said. I don't want the happily ever after. It doesn't work out. Even if you make it to the point your old and gray, someone must go first, leaving the other in a great deal of pain." He spoke softly and gently.

"It's better to love and have lost then to have never loved at all," Zoe replied kissing his cheek. She pulled away never looking at him in the eyes. She didn't dare make that move.

"You never did say why you weren't at church," Wade yelled in hopes to keep her from walking away. Zoe let a smile tug at her lips. She turned back to Wade.

"Figure it out," she called over her shoulder. Wade shook his head watching her walk off. He sighed to himself walking home.

Zoe walked into her house, to her it still wasn't home. It may never feel like home either. The thought made her feel panicked. She wanted a home, she needed a home. This place was home whether it felt like it or not, but she needed it to feel like home. She needed a sense of belonging. Before she could have that she needed to accept her life, but she couldn't do that. She didn't know where to start.

Wade walked into his house. He was surprised that his dad had showered and shaved. The house for the first time in years smelt clean. A mix of bleach and citrus fruit, instead of the normal vomit-inducing smell of liquor. The kitchen floor was clear of any broken bottles. The carpet in the living room had that just vacuumed look. His home wasn't dirty but clean, really clean. It was so clean he didn't have to keep his shoes on afraid if he didn't he would get a chuck of broken glass jammed through his foot.

"What's going on?" Wade asked seeing his dad standing over the stove. He tried to look to see what was being cooked but failed miserably.

"Decided it was time for a change. My boy needs his dad," Earl told him looking over his shoulder. Wade smiled. He never ever thought he would hear his dad utter those words. "Wade, no matter what happens from this point on, I love you."

"I love you, Dad," Wade responded.

"Go get your room clean. It's a total pig sty in there. I don't understand how you can be in there," Earl grumbled causing Wade to chuckle walking away from his father. He hoped that his dad was telling the truth, that he gave up on the alcohol. He was still young and he needed a real father present in his life to help keep him on the right path.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh my..." Zoe gasped finally realizing what had happened. "Wade," she was at a loss for words here.

"I guess it does help to an extant on the pain front," Wade thought out loud. "Are you ok?" Wade asked turning on his side. Zoe only pulled the sheet further up her body.

"I'm fine," she responded. She wasn't in pain for sharing her first sexual experience with him. The pain she felt about her family quickly vanished, when things started to heat up. It wasn't as if he had taken advantage of her. She wanted it just as much as he did. "Shocked is all. I wasn't expecting things to escalade so quickly."

"Me either, you did want this, right?" Wade asked starting to get nervous. Everything moved so quickly, thinking back on things, maybe she had said no, he couldn't be a rapist. He couldn't be. "You wanted this!" He stated getting up to find his boxers.

"Relax, Wade. I did but I didn't," she told him. Wade spun around his face falling. It wasn't supposed to be like that. "No, no, Wade, I never told you to stop, you didn't rape me," she quickly added on seeing fear etch on his face. He relaxed a little but not much.

"So you did want it?" He asked sitting on the bed. His legs were no longer able to hold him up.

"In a sense yes, being with you for my first time, it was wonderful and amazing, it was, but I guess I thought when I lost it, I would be a little older and with a boyfriend, whom I was in love with. Do you understand?" Zoe asked scared he didn't understand her.

"I get it, Zo. I didn't mean to take advantage of you." Zoe shook her head putting her hand over his mouth getting him to shut up.

"You didn't take advantage of me. I promise you that, ok?" Zoe asked removing her hand.

"Ok, so we're good?" He asked. He liked Zoe and he liked where their friendship was going. The events that led up to them in his bed, where a blur to him. One minute they were looking for something on TV to watch. They couldn't be outside because it was pouring. He had no clue where his dad was at, but that wasn't his biggest concern. They went from the living room to his room, for some music and they never made it out of his room.

"We're good," Zoe told him. At least to her they were good. She needed to know how he felt. "Right?" She asked turning his back to him so she could get dressed.

"We're good," Wade replied. "Not to make you think, I'm trying to push you out the door or anything but I need to go for work," Wade told her tying his shoes.

"No worries, I have to get home, so Harley can drive me to my group session," Zoe told him rolling her eyes.

"Ain't he gonna be kinda pissed at you for skipping school?" Wade asked walking out of his room, Zoe right behind him.

"Not sure," Zoe replied shrugging her shoulders. When she left her house, she was headed to school but seeing Wade hurry from the school in a hurry had her chasing after him. She had grown close to him over the last week. She had to make sure he was going to be ok. What she didn't see coming was the little romp in his bed. But she didn't regret it. If she hadn't been ready for it, she would have told him to stop, long before any clothing would have been removed. "I guess we'll see," she told him. "Despite everything that had happened by accident, I had fun today, every second of it was worth skipping school for."

"It was worth wild," Wade smirked. "Maybe we could do it again sometime," Wade suggested.

"Maybe not during school hours," Zoe told him, not turning him down completely. "And maybe after my grounding." She was positive that she was going to be grounded for a few weeks.

"We can work around that," Wade winked causing Zoe's cheeks to burn a bright red color. "You want a ride?" Zoe shook her head.

"Nah, I'll walk. It quit raining, so I'll be fine," Zoe replied.

"Alright," Wade called after her, getting into his truck. Zoe wrapped her arms around herself as she walked. Her thoughts had been filled with the events that took place. Wade had made sure she felt very little pain, and he was sweet the whole time they were having sex, but she couldn't remember if he had used protection or not. She wasn't on the pill or any other kind of protection. The last thing she needed right now was to get pregnant. Just because her future was still set firmly in the fog didn't mean she wanted a kid to add to that pressure of not knowing what was going to happen. Wade was a good friend, but she didn't want to be connected to him in such a way for 18 years. Neither one of them needed that.

"Where were you today? I saw you walk outside on your way to school, it's not that far, you couldn't have gotten lost going that far." Zoe hadn't even made it to the first step when Harley ambushed her. She didn't have an answer for him. She couldn't tell him what she had done with Wade. She didn't need to hear him badmouth Wade for what happened. She was there and she took responsibility for her actions. Zoe remained quiet shrugging her shoulders. That after all was for the best. "You don't know where you were at?" He asked getting angrier and more frustrated with his daughter. "Grounded for a month. School, then home, nowhere else. You skip again and I'll be sitting next to you in all of your classes." Zoe's eyes bugged out. That would not only make her the new kid freak, that would make her the freak who needed her daddy. She didn't need that.

"Got it," Zoe told him hurrying to get into the car. Her life was a mess, she had to clear things up with Harley some how. She had to wait until she would be able to know for certain if she was pregnant or not. She could always ask Wade tomorrow at school. She needed to started making better choices, not for anyone but herself. She couldn't live like this.

"Zoe, are you going to share with us today?" Zoe nodded chewing on her lip. She had to participate in her group sessions. "Whenever you're ready." Zoe nodded taking a deep breath.

"I had a silly fight with my mom, told her I hated her. They were the last words that I was ever able to tell her. I told her everyday I loved her and I was sorry, but she was in a coma, she couldn't responded, how do I really know she could hear me? Because if she could have heard me, then she would have fought harder to come back to me," Zoe sniffled, harshly wiping the tears away that had spilled over from the brim of her eyes.

"Breathe and relax, Zoe."

"She left me, the father that raised me since I was born, told me I wasn't his and he couldn't take care of me. I wasn't his duty anymore. I got shipped off to live with a stranger, who turns out to be my biological father. I shut down and became everything I'm not. I didn't know how to cope or even grieve, but a friend is helping me." A smile formed on her lips at the thought of Wade.

"That's good, Zoe. We all need someone there to help us through things." Zoe knew that was true. She really hoped by sleeping with Wade, it didn't ruin anything between them.


	8. Chapter 8

**_With mixed reviews on the last chapter, it had me trying to figure out ways to make it up to everyone, now I can't make it up to everyone because I can't change what happened in the last chapter, but I hope in some way this makes up for how I had written the last one. Please if you don't want to read what's in italics, then feel free to skip over it, I know something like this isn't for everyone and I tried to keep it to minimum. Enjoy!_**

* * *

_His hands set fire to her skin, as they roamed over her stomach, under her shirt, tying her stomach in knots. Their lips connected together in a searing kiss, tongues dueling to be the dominant one. His taut skin was hot under the palms of her hands as they explored from his back to his chest._

_He pulled her shirt off in one fluid motion, the cool air sending goose bumps across her skin. His kisses to her bare skin did nothing to cool her down, her clothes being shed only heated her up, sending new sensations through her body. His hands caressed her into a state of ecstasy. Leaving her not only wanting more but needing more._

_Her hands trembled reaching for his jeans. His soft gaze had her relaxing, able to get his jeans undone pushing them to pool around his feet. Seeing the size of him had her nerves on high alert. His feather light kisses had her feeling safe with him. The nerves slowly vanished as they had become connected in a whole new way on a much more personal level. Wade took control setting a slow pace, letting Zoe get use to the feeling. Feeling Wade inside of her had her wincing in pain. Within a few moments Zoe gasped as the pain subsided as pleasure started to fill her body. His hands on her, left a tingling sensation._

_Zoe moved with him matching his pace every time he went faster. She couldn't control the moans of pleasure that escaped her mouth. Her fingers dug into his back the closer she got to pure bliss._

* * *

Zoe woke with a faint smile spreading across her lips. For the last two nights, Wade and her first and only time with him seemed to be playing through her mind, leaving her wanting more of him. Pushing the mental images out of her head, she got up to shower and get ready for school.

She dressed in bright colors feeling happier than she had in a long time. She was trying to let all her anger go, and she was trying to move past this black hole in her life. She walked downstairs sitting at the table where a plate of breakfast was waiting for her. It was time to try to make amends with Harley. She took a quick drink of her juice. She wasn't nervous about making amends with him, no she was excited to see what was going to happen between them.

"I'm sorry," she told him, getting Harley to look up at her slightly taken back. "I have been nothing but a thorn in your side since the day I showed up here. You've opened your house and your life to me. You didn't have to do that, you could have left me in New York to spend the next two years of my life on my own in public housing. Thank you for letting me come here. I promise, I'm going to do things differently from now on."

"It's good to see you are willing to change, Zoe. As your father, I couldn't have let you waste away in New York in the system. I do expect you to respect me, though," Harley told her.

"I will. I'll help out here, I'll even find a job or something. It's not to late for me to buckle down and keep my dreams alive." Wade had been right, she needed to move on from losing her mother, she had plenty of people around that were willing to help her out.

"What is your dream?" Harley asked. He was now being able to interact with daughter. Something he had waited for. Pushing her to talk would have only damaged her further. He needed to be patient and let her come around on her own.

"I wanted to follow in Ethan's footsteps and be a heart surgeon. But I don't know if that's what I want anymore," Zoe told him truthfully.

"Would you want to shadow me for two weeks?" She had never thought about being a General Practitioner before. It was something different and maybe she would like it. She wouldn't know unless she tried.

"I would like that," she told him with a real smile.

"Weekends and everyday after school. If you like it, we can find something for you to do at the practice, part-time." She was starting to wish that she would have been nicer to Harley the second she walked through his door. He had been nothing but nice to her and she repaid him with a nasty attitude. It wasn't fair on him. She didn't think she would ever be able to make it up to him, but she could try.

"Thank you for this, I'll stop by after school today," Zoe told him. "I can't today, can I?" She asked mostly herself. "I'll be there Friday after school," she told him earning a nod from Harley. Today after school she had to make a test from when she skip with Wade. Tomorrow after school she had to go to her session that had been mandatory she go to.

"I want to have faith in you, Zoe. So I'm giving you a chance tomorrow. You can take the car, but I expect you to go straight there and straight home," Harley told her seriously. "I have a meeting, I can't get out of."

"I will, I promise," Zoe told him. "I want you to have faith in me and trust me. I'm going to change," Zoe told him getting up. She didn't want to be late for school. Today was the first day of her now new life, with a new outlook on everything. The first thing she needed to do was have a friendly little chat with Wade.

"Have a good day," Harley said letting her go. Zoe placed her dishes in the sink before getting her bag and heading out the door, ready to face this new day head on.

Zoe never got the chance to talk to Wade in the morning. She watched him from afar hanging out with his friends. She had noticed that he paid the girls no attention, no matter how hard they flirted with him. She had to wonder if it was because of her. But she figured that was ridiculous. During class Zoe no longer goofed off with Wade but spent her time actually paying attention and doing her work. Wade had asked her about it, and she told him she needed to start taking school serious again.

"Can we talk?" Zoe asked hanging back at her locker before lunch. She had made sure that it was only her and Wade, that were left standing.

"What's up?" Wade asked leaning against his locker. This had been his first chance all day to talk to Zoe and he wasn't going to run off on her. And by the look on her face, it was serious.

"About the other day," Zoe started suddenly finding this current conversation awkward.

"I can't stop thinking about it either," Wade confirmed making Zoe blush slightly. That had taken her off guard. She wasn't expecting something like that from Wade. "Is that all, or is there something else?" He asked stepping closer to her.

"That wasn't it all," Zoe told him softly. "But I can't stop thinking about it," she told him earning a smirk. "The last thing either one of us needs is an accident to happen, and a child to be conceived. I'm not on birth control and I don't remember you wearing protection, but that could just be me forgetting a detail in the heat of the moment, so did you use a condom?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

"A kid is the last thing I need, Zo. I did use protection." Zoe felt a huge relief wash over her. She was still going to get on birth control, just in case. "Now is that everything? I'm starting to think my stomach is eating it's self," he smirked flinging his arm around her shoulders. "You still grounded?"

"Yep," Zoe confirmed shutting her locker. "Why?"

"Curious," he responded. "Would your dad mind if I happened to uh, walk you home?" Zoe smiled to herself hearing him stumble over his words.

"Why would you want to do that for?" Zoe asked glancing at him.

"You're killing me here, Zo," he mumbled into her ear.

"How so?" She asked with a slight gasp as they entered the cafeteria getting in line for some food.

"I need to be with you," he stated softly in her ear.

"How so?" She giggled seeing him get flustered. "I kinda made a promise to Harley that I would start acting better and obeying his rules," Zoe explained starting to feel bad. She didn't want to disappoint Wade, but she didn't want to break her promise to Harley that he could trust her.

"He doesn't have to know," Wade winked getting his food. Zoe sighed getting her own. Maybe it wouldn't hurt.

"Ok, but then you have to leave before he gets home," Zoe caved.

"Haven't you learned, I'm a ninja?" He asked with a smirk. Zoe rolled her eyes shoving him forward.

Zoe found herself joining in on the gossip at lunch, having a good time with Lemon, George and Annabeth. She let them in slightly. She still had her reservation about people, but they seemed to like this side of her a lot more than the old reserved, uptight, angry side she had possessed.

The rest of the school day moved by normally without any incidents. She had even answered a few questions. After school she had to take her make up test, she was one side of the classroom while Wade was on the side. She had finished her test before Wade. But she had taken the time to go over each question to make sure that she had answered it right.

"Wade, our friendship isn't going to be based on sex now, is it?" Zoe asked on the start of their journey to her house.

"I know that's what it seems like, but no. We can go out and other things and have a good time. I'm still going to be here for you when you need someone to talk to, and I really hope you'll still be there for me to talk to, when I need someone."

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," she told him. "I just don't want what we have to turn into us having sex every time we're together," Zoe voiced her concern.

"How about I just walk you home tonight, and when you're off your punishment we can talk about this more and see where we stand," Wade suggested. "Ya know, give each other a little time to think."

"As long as I don't lose you as my friend during this time, than I agree," Zoe told him reaching her house.

"Never," Wade told her placing a kiss on her cheek walking off. Zoe smiled biting her lip. She was starting to feel curious on how things with Wade where going to turn out.


	9. Chapter 9

"Funny. I didn't know that you liked sports," Wade commented sitting next to Zoe on the bleachers.

"I've always liked football. You never asked," Zoe responded stretching out on the now empty bleachers. "Normally when someone throws the ball at you, the thing to do, is catch it and run," Zoe offered with a smile.

"You try to stay calm when you have guys running right at ya!" Wade huffed.

"I like to watch, not play," Zoe remarked getting up. "I'll see ya tomorrow. I've got to help Harley at the practice for a few hours." For the last week and a half she had done a few things around the office. She had enjoyed her time so far.

"I'll walk with ya. I walk right by the practice for my job." Zoe smiled giving him a nod. "How you holding up?"

"Good, I haven't felt sad in days, so that's something. Everything is different now that I've actually changed my outlook on life."

"That's good," Wade replied, suddenly feeling nervous. They walked the rest of the way in silence. Neither one knowing what to say. When they thought they had something to say nothing ever came out. "So that test in science was brutal." Wade cringed hearing the words that spewed from his from. Zoe lightly giggled.

"Maybe for you, but I aced it," Zoe smugly told him coming to a stop outside the practice.

"Cocky much?" Wade asked with a chuckle. Zoe shrugged.

"I should go," she told him pointing behind her.

"Are you busy Saturday?" Wade asked stuffing his hands in his pockets. Zoe smiled lightly.

"I'm free, why?" She asked softly.

"It's a surprise," Wade winked. "Just don't make any plans." He turned on his heel and walked off. Zoe rushed up the steps walking into the practice with a smile on her face.

Zoe got straight to work getting files put away. She helped the patients when they came in. About an hour after being there, Brick had a family emergency to attend to. Harley had gotten a call for a house visit leaving Zoe alone in the practice.

"What happened?" Zoe asked seeing a kid around 14 stumble into the practice. He had a bloody nose, a bruise was forming around his eye. His knuckles were tore up, he had a gash on his forehead. Blood dripping down his leg.

"An accident and a fight," the boy gave up for his excuse. Zoe ushered him inside the exam room. She was the only one there, she'd have to do the best she could. She set about getting the boy cleaned up. She got his nose to stop bleeding, bandaged his knuckles the best she could. She started on the gash, seeing it wasn't deep and didn't need stitches of any kind. She got it cleaned up and put a band-aid over it. Zoe pushed the end of his shorts up to see a much nastier looking cut on his knee. He definitely needed stitches but she had only watched Harley give one person a few stitches. She didn't know how to do it. She wasn't even a doctor, she didn't want to get into any serious trouble.

"What's going on?" Harley asked entering the exam room. Zoe sighed happy that Harley was there. She quickly filled him in and Harley took over. Zoe went back to the reception desk and went back to what she was doing. "You did good on that kid," Harley spoke gaining Zoe's attention.

"It wasn't anything really," Zoe told him. "A few band-aids. That's child play."

"Maybe so, but you have potential, Zoe." She smiled getting a praise like that. "Would you mind going to the Rammer Jammer and getting us something to eat?" Harley asked.

"Thanks for the kind words, Harley. Yea, what is it you want?" Zoe asked getting up from the chair she was sitting in.

"Fish sandwich," Harley told her. He gave her the money and went into his office. Zoe stuffed the cash in her pocket and headed off for the Rammer Jammer.

"Couldn't stay away?" Wade asked with a smirk, clearing off a table.

"Considering it's one of the many places to get food in this town, I couldn't go anywhere else," Zoe told him with a smile, walking to the bar to order the food.

"You going to the football game Friday night?" Wade asked to make conversation while Zoe waited for her food.

"Not sure, why do you want me to be there?" Zoe asked biting her lip. She was going to go, the whole town would be there, so there wasn't anything to do until after the game. And it should be fun. She'd get to watch Wade play. She'd be there to support him, and she was certain he needed someone who was there just for him.

"If you want to be there, sure," he shrugged. He wasn't going to admit to wanting her there. "Wally, I'm taking my break," Wade called grabbing the bag of Zoe's food.

"Wade, you don't have to do that," Zoe protested trying to grab the bag of food from him. He caught her hand lacing their fingers together.

"It's ok, I don't mind," Wade smiled walking to the door. Zoe smiled with a slight blush creeping up on her face. Out of everything she had shared with Wade since coming here, she had expected that he would get what he wanted and never talk to her again, but that wasn't the case. He was making dates, carrying her food for her, holding her hand, walking her places. He was being sweet and she liked that she personally got to see this side of him.

"So, uh, on this date you have planned," Zoe said breaking the silence that had been created. "What's the ideal thing to wear? Do I wear jeans, a skirt or a dress? Do I dress up? Do I dress down? A girl needs to know these things." Her teeth bore into her bottom lip, her cheeks burned a bright red color. "I mean, is this a date? Or just friends hanging out?" Zoe asked looking down, feeling embarrassed.

"It's a date, Zo," Wade smirked pulling her closer to him. "Jeans, shirt and sneakers. No high heels," Wade informed her. There was just something about Zoe, that kept drawing him back in. He wanted to know everything about her. She was the first girl he ever met he wanted to date. The fact she showed up to watch football practice after school, that made things different, in a good way. He was use to the girls that would show up and flirt with him and the rest of the team, but they had never paid attention to what was going on. Zoe had actually paid attention to every move he had made. She was different and he found it interesting.

"Ok," Zoe smiled looking down, some of her hair had fallen down covering her face. They came to a halt outside the practice. Wade turned Zoe to face him, sweeping her hair from her eyes. He leant in kissing the corner of her mouth. He pulled away handing the bag of food over to Zoe.

"Night Zoe," Wade told her letting her hand go.

"Night, Wade," Zoe responded, a smile firmly in place. She reached out to grab his hand for a better kiss. Her fingers tightened around his wrist making him wince in pain. "Wade?" Zoe asked in a panic releasing her grip.

"I'm ok, it's just sore. Landed wrong in practice today," Wade told the worried Zoe that stood across from him. She moved closer to examine his wrist.

"You should get that looked at," Zoe commented.

"No, I'm fine, really," Wade told her shaking his head.

"I really think it's sprained, it could even be fractured. It's only going to get worse, if you don't get it looked at." Wade sighed, his hands going to cover his face. "I'll hold your hand the whole time, if you want me to," Zoe added on to persuade him to go in and get the exam over with.

"Fine," he sighed giving in. Zoe smiled taking the hand that was pain-free and pulled him into the practice.

"Harley, you busy?" Zoe asked walking into his office.

"No, what's going on? Wade?" Harley asked getting to his feet.

"Land on my wrist funny at practice today. I tried to tell Zoe I was ok, but she wouldn't listen," Wade explained.

"Let's have a look." Harley ushered him into the exam room. Zoe placed the bag of food on the desk and ventured into the exam room to watch Harley. She wanted to learn, that was one of the reasons she was here. She did tell Wade she would hold his hand. On instinct Zoe took his hand in hers.

"So?" Zoe asked focusing on Harley.

"It's sprained. I'll put a splint on your wrist. It's nothing to serious." He then went on to explain that Wade would need to rest his wrist for at least 48 hours. That he would need to ice his wrist to reduce pain and swelling, for 20-30 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days, or until the pain is gone. He needed to compress the wrist with a bandage. Elevate his wrist above his heart, on a pillow or the back of a chair, as often as he can. He needed to take some anti-inflammatory painkillers. Wade sighed hearing the news. That meant he'd miss practice and the game Friday night. At least he had Saturday to look forward to. "I'll see you in 2 Weeks for a check up."


	10. Chapter 10

Zoe had been up before the sun had started to waken the small town up. She was curious to what Wade had planned for their date. She wasn't even going to look at a boy her age the two years she was here for. But there was something about Wade that made her feel alive, she was free with him. She had been in town over a month now and she was going on a date the town bad boy. The boy every girl in the school wanted, and she got him.

"What do you have planned for today?" Harley asked his daughter seeing her dressed and ready for the day.

"I'm not sure, Wade has something planned and he wont tell me," Zoe replied pouring herself some juice.

"You seem to be getting close to him," Harley said more as a thought.

"He knows how it feels to lose your parents in a sense. He's been a great help with dealing with everything," Zoe shrugged. "He's a nice guy."

"As long as he doesn't push you into something you're not ready for."

"He's been nothing but sweet," Zoe defend Wade. The day they were together they were both at fault. "I honestly trust him with my life. He's having a hard time and all he needed was someone there to help him through it. He didn't have the support team he needed."

"I do trust you, Zoe. You know what you're doing," Harley commented getting up. Zoe nodded. She did know what she was doing. Wade wasn't some caged beast. Under everything he was sweet and caring. "What time will you be back?" Harley asked starting the water for the dishes.

"Not sure, I'm walking into this blind, really. You'll have to ask him when he gets here," Zoe replied helping Harley with the dishes. She excused herself when there was a knock on the door. "Hey," Zoe greeted stepping aside to let him enter. "Harley would like to see you," Zoe told him a smirk coming out hearing him groan.

"Can't we sneak out?" He asked in a whisper.

"No, then I'll be in trouble when I come home. And I don't need that. Things are going good with us right now." The last thing she needed right now was for Harley to find another reason for her to stay away from Wade. Even if she was forced to stay away, she wouldn't be able to.

"Oh alright," Wade agreed heading through the house. Zoe followed Wade. "Hello, Dr. Wilkes," Wade greeted gaining his attention.

"Wade, how are you today?" Harley asked wiping his dripping wet hands on a hand towel.

"Good," Wade nodded glancing around the kitchen. He was feeling good before he learned that Zoe's father wanted to talk to him. That scared the living hell outta him. He's never liked a girl to actually meet the parents before. Even though he knew Dr. Wilkes, it was still different when you wanted to dated his daughter.

"Zoe, told me you were taking her out today. I was wondering when she was going to be home?"

"Between 9 and 11. If that's ok?" Wade asked, absent-mindedly rubbing the back of his neck.

"That should be fine. Call if you're gonna be later." Zoe nodded, letting Harley know she heard him. "How's the wrist doing?" Harley asked.

"There's still a little pain but nothing like there has been."

"That's good, come in Wednesday or Thursday and I'll take a look. You might be able to start practice again." Wade was relieved to hear that. He hated that he couldn't play in the game yesterday. They had won by a few points and it killed him not being able to be out on the field helping his team to victory. He had also felt like he had let Zoe down. She had come to watch him play and he was stuck on the bench, like some loser.

"We really need to go, I don't know what, Wade has planned, but I do know, I don't want to miss it." She could careless what Wade had planned for them today, she was looking forward to spending the day with him. It had been a few days since she was able to hang out with him.

Thursday after school she had to go to Mobile. With her making great progress already she was told she only needs to come in every Tuesday for a single consultation. That alone had excited Zoe. Friday Wade had to be at practice and Zoe took off not being able to sit around and watch the football team get ready for their game. She went even though she knew Wade wouldn't be playing.

"Go on and have fun," Harley shooed them out the door. Wade helped Zoe into his pick-up. Zoe smiled brushing her lips against his cheek.

"So do I get a hint on what's going on today?" Zoe asked after they left Bluebell's city line.

"You will have fun," He smirked. "You will be fed for lunch and for dinner."

"You make it sound like I'm some animal," Zoe joked.

"Aren't you?" Wade asked with a smirk. Zoe lightly punched his arm. "Hey, no hitting the driver!" Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Besides food, what are we doing?"

"Do you know what a surprise is?" Wade asked glancing her way.

"Yes, and after a few big surprise's in my life. I'm not very keen on surprise's," Zoe explained with a soft sigh. She was starting to see that things happen in life, you can't control. All you can do is go with the flow of things and she was going to do just that.

"I know," Wade replied resting his hand on her upper thigh. She bit her lip feeling the sharp current of electricity surge through her body from his simple little touch. "But I promise, this is a good surprise." Zoe placed her hand on top of his.

"How is your Dad doing?" Zoe asked feeling the need to change the topic around.

"He has his days. Most days he gets up and goes to work, we have full conversations, but he has his days where he slips and drinks himself to oblivion." Zoe gently squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She felt a tang of pain for him. At least she had a dad that cared and went out of his way to console her. The situation between them might have been different in ways, it was still the same. He needed to have his father there for him.

"Don't be," Wade replied squeezing her hand. "How do you feel about alligators?" Wade asked making her frown.

"I'm ok with them as long as they don't try to eat me," Zoe told him. "Why?" She asked curiously, wanting to know. Wade said nothing pointing to a sign that read Alligator Alley. Zoe's mouth fell open. "You can't be serious?" Zoe questioned. But the smirk that lay on his face told her otherwise. "You are being serious, aren't you?" She asked.

"100 percent. Thought we would do something different. "My mom brought me here for my 9th birthday. I loved the place, always wanted to come back. But after she got sick we never made it," Wade explained finding a spot to park. "My mom has a special place in my heart and I wanted to share this with you, because you're special, Zoe." She smiled hearing Wade confess that much about his feelings to her.

"I'm honored, Wade, really," Zoe told him scooting closer. Her lips inches from his. "You have a special place in my heart, Wade," she whispered pressing her lips against his for a tender kiss.

Zoe had been apprehensive about the whole thing, but she had relaxed into Wade's hold on her and enjoyed seeing everything they had to offer. She even had the courage to try her hand at feeding one of them, with help from Wade. So far the day had been fun. For lunch they sat in the shade and had a picnic. They chatted about the alligators, keeping the conversation light.

After they finished eating they took in an alligator show. That had kept Zoe on the edge of her seat. After seeing them up close and actually starting to like them, she had held a smaller one. Wade had been right, she really did like this surprise. She had to wonder what else he had planned. The place had closed at 5, forcing them to head out as well.

"That was fun," Zoe commented watching Wade concentrate on the road.

"I'm happy you gave it a chance," Wade told her with a smile. She was happy she did too.

"It was different than any first date I've ever been on," Zoe told him fighting a smile of her own. "A good different." Wade held a smug smile on his face. Maybe it wasn't so hard to plan dates.

"Good, but this date is far from over with," he winked. She really wasn't going to be home until long after the sun had set.

"What else could you have planned? Does it have anything to do with bears?" Zoe asked.

"No, but I'll keep that in mind for next time." She smiled hearing there would be a next time.

"There's going to be a next time?" Zoe asked with a smile.

"Don't you want there to be?" He asked.

"I don't want this date to end," she told him. "But like all wonderful things, it will and I'll be counting down the days until the next date."

"Don't make plans until I can figure out the next date and we need to finish this one first," he replied pulling into a park parking lot.

"Push me on the swings?" Zoe asked in a playful tone.

"Do you want me to shove the kids off first?" Wade asked with smirk, getting out.

"No," she sighed.

They held hands as the walked in silence along walking paths to see the true beauty Alabama had to offer them. They let the silence settle over them, content with holding hands as they walked.

Before dusk Wade led Zoe to the beach, wrapping her up in his arms as the sun started to set casting purple's and orange's along the water as it sunk in the sky.

They both relished in the moment of silence as a fire of desire started to burn deep within them. Instead of feeling alone in this cold world, together they felt warmth as one. Complete; whole. They were where they belonged.


	11. Chapter 11

Things over the last few months had gone smoothly for the new couple. The world seemed bigger and brighter. School was even going better for Wade. Here he was a Junior on the Varsity team, a college scout was coming. This was his chance to show the whole town of Bluebell he was more than the son of a drunken man. He could be someone; he was going to be someone.

"Every thing over the last few months leads to this! Tonight," Zoe said shutting her locker. "You ready for it?" She asked lacing her fingers with his. He was quick to lock their hands together.

"Not for a second am I ready, Zo. But at the same time I feel as if I can take on the whole world. I've been waiting for this moment, for a long time. I gotta prove I can be somebody." Zoe pulled him to a halt.

"You don't have to prove nothing to no one. Win or lose you're still my hero," she told him softly, kissing his cheek. "I'll be there as your personal cheerleader." He smirked, pulling Zoe into him.

"How about you give me a personal pep show, beforehand," he husked, his hands dropping to her butt. She squealed feeling him lightly squeeze.

"I think I can manage that," she whispered, pressing her lips against his.

That night Zoe sat in her normal spot in the bleachers, right at the top. Harley had came with her, having the night off. Wade spotted Zoe when the team came out, sending her a wink. She watched every move with intensity. She cringed when he went down hard. Panic set in when he didn't move. She was paralyzed on what to think as she looked at his lifeless body. A few seconds later, which to Zoe, felt like a lifetime later, he got up and walked off the field. His eyes met hers, letting her know he was alright.

At halftime Zoe took her place at the little tree she'd meet Wade at.

"Are you ok?" Zoe asked the second she saw him.

"I'm fine," he told her. Zoe clung onto him, not wanting to let go. "I gotta get back to the locker room." Zoe let him go. Wade cupped her face. "I'm fine really," he whispered, gently pressing his lips against hers. She chewed her lip watching him walk away.

"How's my boy?" Zoe froze hearing his voice. She hadn't expected Earl to show up. She had met him once before, when they had went back to his house to be alone, but Earl was home, so all they did was study. To her he seemed alright when he was sober.

"He's fine, or so he says," Zoe shrugged, turning around. "I didn't know you were coming to the game, Earl?"

"Neither does Wade. I've been at the last few of them, actually."

"Why don't you tell him?" Zoe asked shifting from one foot to the other. "He'd like that, to know that his father is here supporting him." Wade had told Zoe that multiple times over the last few days.

"I figured he'd try to show off and get himself injured if he knew I was here. It's easier to stay hidden. I know you wont lie to him, so feel free to tell him I was here." He gave Zoe a small smile and ventured off.

Zoe sighed and made her way back to her seat, ready for the last half of the game. She didn't want to lie to Wade about his dad being there. But would that even come up in conversation? How would she tell him. Surely she couldn't say hey I saw your dad, he asked about you at half time. Maybe she could say that.

"You alright?" Harley asked, hearing the heavy sigh that came from his daughter.

"Worried about Wade," she replied. She was worried about him. She didn't want him to be hurt, only to be covering it up. Adrenaline can do that to a person.

"Did he seem fine, when you saw him?"

"Yeah. He even said he was fine," Zoe sighed. "But he could still be hurt."

"I'm sure he's ok, Zoe. You'll have to wait until after the game to know for sure." She nodded, getting to her feet when the team retook the field.

Every time Wade got hit, Zoe cringed. Every time he got up, she let the breath she was holding out. She was more nervous during the second half then she was during the first half. They were up by two touchdowns and a field goal; which was 17 points altogether. The end of the game couldn't come fast enough. The last two minutes felt like two hours. They had won 31-14, keeping their 17 point lead.

"Don't be too late," Harley told her walking to his car. Zoe leaned against his truck waiting for him to emerge from the locker room.

"Told ya, I was fine," Wade smirked, walking up to her. He tossed his bag in the truck bed. Pinning Zoe to the front of his truck. Zoe locked her hands behind his neck.

"I'm allowed to worry about my guy," she smirked.

"I'm not some piece of meat, Zo," he replied rolling his eyes with a smirk. She rolled her eyes.

"Shut up and kiss me." Wade chuckled lightly pressing his lips against hers. His hands found their way under the hem of her shirt. Zoe ran a hand through his hair. Wade hosted Zoe up and her ankles locked around his waist. Their lips detached, Wade's lips found a spot on her neck to suck and bite.

"Wade," Zoe moaned biting her lip.

"Hmm?" Wade asked keeping his mouth attached to her neck.

"We can't do this here," she whispered, tugging on his hair. "There's a party at Elliot's place," she told him.

"I would rather party with only you, we can go back to my place, my Dad should be passed out by now." Zoe shook her head. "What?"

"At half time after you left, he found me. He hides out, somewhere. He said he's been at the last few of them. He didn't want to say anything to you, so you would show off and get hurt," Zoe explained letting her legs fall.

"You ready to split?" Wade asked, taking in everything that Zoe had told him. Typical Earl. He was right, he would have showed off for his dad. Zoe kissed his cheek.

"Lets go celebrate this win, shall we?" She asked.

"Damn straight," Wade smirked, helping her down.

They headed off, heading to a place they could have some privacy.

"The recruiter say anything?" Zoe asked.

"Nah! Not to me, the coach was talking to him when I left."

"Either way, you were amazing out there."

"Even if I scared ya?" He asked with a wink.

"Even if."


	12. Chapter 12

Zoe frowned not seeing Wade with the rest of his friends. She talked to them when she was forced to, but they weren't nowhere near friends with her. Annabeth and George took to her nicely. If it wasn't for Lemon they could have been friends. Lemon prevented that from happening.

"Where's Wade?" They had met up before school, walked to their classes together. He was pulled from class before lunch. It wasn't a matter of him not being here.

"Outside, he came from the coach's office not all that long ago," George informed her, pointing the way he went.

"Thanks," she told him. She headed off to find Wade. She stopped on the steps seeing Wade sitting in the grass his back pressed against the wall. His hands held his head. Slowly she crept her way over to him. She slid down the wall, letting her head rest against his shoulder. "What's wrong?" Zoe whispered.

"Why does something have to be wrong?" He asked keeping his eyes locked on the grass below him. She shrugged. She never saw a happy person mope around before. There was a first time for everything, though.

"I didn't peg ya to be a moper when things went good," she sufficed as her reply.

"Moping? Yea that's not the Wade Kinsella way," he smirked lifting his head up. He put his arm around her, pulling her that much closer to him.

"Then share this load, that's on your mind? Sharing is caring," Zoe smirked, placing a kiss to his shoulder.

"You're a dweeb, Zo," Wade chuckled.

"Your dweeb, right?" Zoe asked with a pout.

"Always." He sealed his promise with a kiss to her head. "I had a talk with the coach." Zoe nodded hoping that it was good news and not bad news. "If I can keep my grades up and work harder on the field, I'm guaranteed a few full ride scholarships to a few different schools around Alabama."

"Wade, that's amazing!" Zoe beamed jumping on him. He chuckled holding her to him. "What's wrong?" She asked holding his head in the palms of her hands, seeing the worry etched into his gorgeous eyes.

"It is and I'm ready to work my ass off. I never thought it was possible. Going away to college, hell even going to college, but my Dad, Zo. He could fall back into the same pattern once I leave, then what?" He asked with a sigh. Zoe rested her forehead against his. She hated that his wonderful news seemed like a burden to him, when that shouldn't be the case.

"You need to do what you feel is right, Wade. If he falls back into the way he was, then he has a town full of people who will take care of him for you. As your father, he wants you to live your dreams. Reach for the stars, Wade." She pressed her lips against his, he happily kissed her back. "Talk to your, Dad," she whispered against his lips. He pressed his lips against hers, just as the bell sounded breaking them apart.

"The last part of the school day calls," he sighed.

"Grades and being on time are now important to you," she smirked getting up. Wade got up locking their hands together. He never expected that day to come, but it had and he was excited to see what his future held for him. It was the first time since he was a little kid that he was able to dream about his future. For so long he thought Bluebell was his future, now things had changed.

"My street creed is so ruined!" Zoe giggled at his exaggeration.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, it was ruined when you started to date the new girl whose a freak," Zoe stated walking through the door.

"I've never dated a freak, Zo. I think you have memory loss or something. From where I stand, I'm dating the sexiest and hottest girl in school," he stated getting a light pink color to dust her cheeks. "Not to mention the dirtiest one," he whispered in her ear smirking. Zoe lightly hit him feeling every ounce of blood in her body rush to her face.

"Don't tell me, I don't wanna know," Lemon huffed walking past the two.

"She really does hate me, huh?" Zoe asked feeling the blood slowly drain from her face.

"You got in on her bad side. Hard to move past that," Wade commented. "But that's ok, you still got me," he remarked. Zoe rolled her eyes stopping at her locker.

"It's more like, I'm stuck with you," she replied giving him a smile.

"I can always find someone else," he remarked, digging his books out of his locker.

"You can, but we both know it won't be the same. Because they're not me," she told him shutting her locker.

"Why must you be right?" He asked, taking her books. "Don't answer that," he warned, shooting her a sideways glance. She shook her with a smile gracing her lips. She wouldn't say a thing. She really did love seeing this side to him. She had never expected Wade to be such a softie, looks really could be deceiving.

Deep down she had a feeling that everything would work its way out for him. She had faith that he would get to go have the football career every college student wanted to launch him to the pros.

"You've never told me what it is you want to go to school for," Zoe commented thinking about it.

"I'm not sure," he shrugged. "I've never thought I would be going so I never had any interest in it. I don't know if I'll pursue my football career after college, if I go," he explained sitting down. Zoe sat down by him taking her books.

"Business management," she told him.

"I thought you wanted to be a doctor?" He asked puzzled.

"I do, I meant for you," she whispered, turning her attention to the front of the room.

He did love the bar scene, he hadn't got his hands on bartending yet but he spent his free time at work thinking up new concoctions, he couldn't try them and didn't know how they would taste, but the thought was there. Maybe Zoe was right. Maybe something in business might be the best route for him to go.

"I have no practice after school, I have the night off, you busy?" He asked flipping his book open.

"Therapy session after school, but otherwise I'm free, why?" She asked.

"Let me drive you and after you're done, we can find something in Mobile to do," he suggested.

"That'd be perfect. You don't have to, but I've been told it would be helpful, if you came with to one of my sessions. Don't feel like you have to, Wade. It's totally up to you," she quickly told him.

"I'd be ok with that, Zo," he replied placing his hand over hers giving it a gentle squeeze. It had meant a lot to him that she would ask that of him. To let him in on something that was a private matter for her. "Now can you help me with this?" He asked pointing to the work that laid before him.

"That's what am I here for," she suggested, leaning over to help him out. For him to agree to come with her today was important and huge. She was nervous of what was going to happen and what the outcome would be. On the other hand she was touched that he would this for her. Made her realize he was truly one of the good guys. That she was lucky, to end up here with him.


	13. Chapter 13

Zoe waited outside the office she would be in, in just a few minutes with Wade by her side. She was nervous, she felt as if she was going to throw up all over the ugly green and white floor. He was going to hear things, he had yet to hear and she was freaking out that he would leave her because she had too much baggage for him. When she asked him, she had a good feeling about him coming with. Now she wished she had never said a single word to him about this.

"Zoe, come in." Zoe got up holding Wade's hand in her own. "Who's this?"

"Wade, he's the one that's helped cope with everything. Made me see that not everything had to suck in life. That there was more to life. I just had to open my eyes and see, that the world was in color and not black and white."

"I'm also her boyfriend," he smirked. He had never thought that Zoe had seen him like that. He wasn't anyone's savior. He was only helping her, showing her things she didn't want to miss out on. He was drawn to her, like a moth to a flame.

"It seems like you hold him on this pedestal, because he guided you through this dark part of your life. Holding your hand till you found the light." Maybe she had done that. She might have done that at first. Needing him to make her day bright. Now she didn't need him in that way. Now she wanted him to be near, because the thought of him with someone else made her wanna cry and claw the poor girl's eyes out. Jealous. She would be very jealous. She had fallen for Wade.

"At first," Zoe spoke breaking the silence that hung over them. Wade was taken back by her admission. The feeling of being used passed through him. "He was the light, I needed every day. He was like my life support. It had been that way for a while." She was afraid to look at him. Not wanting to see how mad she was making him. "Now, he makes my days better, because I love him." Wade's mouth suddenly felt dry. She loved him, he wasn't sure how to feel. He had to process it. Love wasn't a word he heard at all. Could he feel the same way about her? Could he truly, deeply love Zoe as much as she loved him? "I don't need him to be there to help me through a messed up time in my life. I want him there, to share every day adventures with. I want to discover the world with him."

"Love is a strong emotion. Are you sure you love him?" she had to think back to what she had said. She couldn't remember saying she loved him. She did love him, she was sure of it. This wasn't some puppy love either. It was the real deal.

"I'm sure. He brightens every day, knees go weak with a simple smile. He does things to me that I can't explain." She turned to look at Wade. "Even when I wanted to hate you, I couldn't. You stirred something deep within me. Challenged me even. I've seen your soul, Wade. I do love you." She had felt things change when they had their first date. He sat there like a damn statue. His mind raced on what to do here. He couldn't say he loved her if he wasn't sure of his feelings for her. He liked her, but love wasn't something that had popped into his mind.

"You're not using your love for Wade to mask the hurt and despair you feel, are you? That's very common." Wade didn't even get a chance to reply. He'd hold his tongue until afterwards.

"I'm still depressed about my mom, something I learned from Wade, I probably won't ever get over that in a sense, but that doesn't mean I can't move on and be happy. She'd want me to be happy. I hate Ethan for leaving me, but he did the right thing. In the end it was only fair that my biological father raise me and get a chance to know his daughter. I'm not using the love I feel for Wade to cover up my feelings about my mother's death or Ethan abandoning me."

"Are you using the love you feel for Wade as a cover to the love you should feel from your mom?" She had never thought about it that way before. Again she was sure.

"I have plenty of love from my father. I know my Mom loved me. I know she's watching over me. My love for Wade comes from within. He has his own things going on, he's going through his own stuff, that only makes him human. It makes me love him that much more. We're connected on a certain level. My life without Wade, would be a different story. I can't imagine my life without him. He's made me a better person."

"Wade, do you have anything to say?" Wade looked up from his lap. He had plenty of things to say, he just didn't feel comfortable discussing things in front of anyone.

"We're here to help Zoe. She's made huge improvements since the first day she showed up. I'm proud of her, but I don't know if I would be considered her savior." That word stuck out the most in his now scrambled head of emotions.

"In simpler words Wade. You helped save her from the dark path she was heading down. She feels like she owes you her life. That she has this debt to you." He shook his head.

"She doesn't owe me anything." He turned to look at Zoe. "Zo, owe me nothing. I mean it." She smiled softly at him.

"I know that, Wade. But at times I felt like that. I've went through this, I'm grateful for everything you did for me. But I don't owe anyone, my life except for me."

"Wade, you are more than welcome to come back in the future, Zoe any questions?" Zoe shook her head. "Alright, this ends our time. I'll see you next week." Zoe got up reaching for Wade's hand. She was slightly disappointed that he didn't say anything about her saying she loved him.

"Wade you ok?" Zoe asked, walking out to his car.

"Uh, yeah," he answered, seeing a little park near by. He led Zoe to a picnic table. "You love me?" He asked approaching this with caution.

"Yeah, I do love you, Wade. I get it if you don't feel the same. It's only been a few months, it's just, with losing my Mom, it has shown me to love well I'm young, live along the way and laugh at myself," she explained.

"Zoe, I don't know if I know how love feels, but the feelings I have for you are stronger than an I like you," he explained, hoping she understood what he was getting at.

"I get it and I'm not mad. Take the time you need to figure it. As long as we are ok." He needed the time to figure himself out, loving someone could be scary. She'd give that time. She wasn't going to pressure him into saying something he didn't mean. She wanted him to mean it.

"We're more than ok." Zoe smiled leaning across the table to kiss him. Today's session was a good one. He was still here, so that meant something. She didn't scare him off by professing her love.

"Thanks for coming. I know it wasn't easy." He pressed a finger to her lips.

"It was nothing, Zo. That had to be hard on you. Thanks for letting me into something that's a private matter for you." She placed a soft kiss to his finger, taking his hand in hers.

"That was nothing. It was one of the better sessions I've had. Seriously you can come back anytime you want to. I don't mind." She smiled lacing her fingers with his. He did like the promise of going back. That she trusted him that much.


	14. Chapter 14

"I heard the arcade does wonders for stress," Wade smirked, shutting the car off.

"You hear a lot of stuff is good for stress, but the question is, do you know for sure if it is?" Zoe asked getting out.

"The arcade, yes. And for the record," he started out lacing his fingers with hers. "I know sex does wonders for stress. I proved that to you."

"You can be such a sweet person and in the next second you are nothing but a pig." Wade mocked being hurt at her words. "It stings, huh?" She smirked.

"Here," he sighed, shaking his head. "I thought you loved me," he pouted, pretending to cry. If she wasn't in such a good mood, she would have been upset at him for throwing that in her face, hours later.

"You're lucky I do," she remarked, kissing his cheek. "I don't think too many women would deal with your huge ego."

"That hurt!" He gasped. Within seconds he broke into a fit of laughter. "But so true."

"Not many girlfriend's would put up with gator's and video games for dates," Zoe told him walking into the mall. "So you're lucky."

"Hey, we did have a romantic night watching the sunset on the beach."

"And it was amazing," Zoe told him. "You know, in the great aspect of it all, I'm the lucky one."

"Nope, I am," he stated pulling her in for a bone crushing hug. Zoe giggled wrapping her arms around him. "I've got the girl, who makes everyone jealous." She scoffed hearing that. "It's true, so don't think otherwise. I also have the girl that loves me for some strange reason. But I'll take it." Zoe smiled kissing him.

"You are weird, Wade. The reasons I love you aren't very strange. You're just being you and letting me in. What more could I ask for?" She asked, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"A lot," he whispered. He cared about her, but under all the feelings, the fact was, he was screwed up and messed up. He couldn't give her what she wanted. Kids, marriage or a future together, wasn't something he had in him. Who said they would make it through college? They had a lot left in the distant future to get through, to even worry about their future together.

"Nonsense," she told him softly, locking eyes with him. "You're all I need. I'm messed up too. We're prefect for each other," she whispered closing her eyes, feeling his forehead against hers. "Couldn't we go play mini golf, go bowling or even go karts?" She asked, pushing the inevitable fight that was to come away. They'd deal with things later, when they were alone and not standing in the middle of a mall.

"They are lovely ideas, babe." Wade knew what she was doing and he agreed with her. This wasn't the place to get into a heated discussion about them. "There's always next time. Figured we could play a game of air hockey, earn some tickets and win you a prize." Zoe shook her head, a bright smile coming out.

"Let's have your best shot, baby," she smirked.

"Oh, you're gonna challenge me now?" He asked with a smirk of his own. They untangled their arms and started to walk to the arcade.

"Of course," she answered, slipping her hand in his. "You don't scare me." She went for a straight face, but seeing the goofy look on his face she lost it.

"You should be!" He stated, rather loudly, gaining the attention of a few people walking by. That alone made Zoe laugh harder. "I'm a threat to be reckoned with," he hissed in her ear.

"Sure, you are," she replied, her laughter subsiding.

"No one has ever beaten me in air hockey!" Zoe nodded.

"Is that so?" She asked, gaining a nod from Wade. "That's because you have never went against me," she smarted off. She had never played the game. She always walked past the arcade, going straight to the clothes, shoes and everything else a girl needed to stay up to date in the fashion world.

"Alright, you're on. But let's make this intersting," he smirked. "If I win, you have to come camping with me for a weekend. Friday after school till Sunday afternoon. Weekend of my choice."

"And if you lose?" She asked. Now she had wished she would have kept her mouth shut. There was no way she was going to beat Wade.

"Then I'll plan a whole romantic night," he told her.

"You're on!" She exclaimed, kissing him. "You're still going down." She couldn't let him see that she was freaking out on the inside.

"Those be some fighting words," he smirked. Zoe shrugged. The game wasn't that hard. It didn't look like it. All you had to do was keeping the little puck from going in your goal, and get it into his more times than he could, the fasted. "You look scared," Wade commented with a chuckle.

"Psst, not even close," she replied.

"You can start. After all it is the gentlemen thing to do," he winked giving Zoe the puck. She gave him half a smile and hit the puck as hard as she could. Wade had hit back sinking it in on her. She gave him a glare, getting the puck. "I think someone was bluffing," he commented with a glare. She hit the puck, sinking it in, taking him off guard.

"You were saying?" She asked with a smirk. "I think you dropped your cockiness."

"Funny, Zo," he replied getting the puck.

The game had went back and forth. Zoe was genuinely surprised at how easy the game was. The game was tied, with the next goal winning. Neither one wanted to lose. They were both determined to win. With one little slip up, Zoe cringed watching the puck go sailing in, letting Wade win the game.

"I sure hope you like camping, city girl," he teased. Zoe glared at him. Truth be told she was actually looking forward to camping with Wade. Just the two of them in the middle of the woods. It was going to be interesting.

"I hope you like holding a certain city girl, who could possible be scared of the big bad wilderness at night," Zoe told him biting her lip. Wade pulled her into him.

"I'll do more than that," he smirked, kissing her hard on the lips.

"Now go win me that prize you promised. I wanted that huge stuffed black and white puppy."

"That's like a million tickets, Zo," he whined with huge eyes. There was no way he could win that many tickets, not in one trip to the arcade.

"Then I suggest you start playing games," she smirked. Wade groaned and headed off to get tokens to play the games.

They had played all the games and spent over 3 hours in the arcade and Wade was nowhere near close enough to winning the dog Zoe wanted. He was running out of money fast too.

"You don't have to keep playing to get it, Wade. The thought is what counts. Get whatever you want," she told him. Wade smiled kissing her cheek. He went to the counter to see just how many he had. He only had 575 tickets. He pointed to what he wanted, saving the rest of his tickets. He was determined to get Zoe that damn dog. "What did ya get?" Zoe asked eyeing him up. He wasn't carrying anything. He had a smug look on his face.

"A little something," he smirked.

"Wade," she warned, not liking the suspicion that was on his face. He was up to something. He took her hand.

"Now you're mine," he cringed at the way it sounded.

"Possessive much?" Zoe asked looking to see the purple and blue plastic ring on her finger. "Corny much?" She asked with giggle.

"Maybe," he shrugged. Zoe shook her head, wrapping her arms around his. Even though it was a cheap plastic ring, she'd cherish it forever. She kissed his cheek as they walked to the food court.


	15. Chapter 15

"Why?" She asked seeing the man who wanted nothing to do with her. "You left me, did you forget that?" Zoe yelled, tensing up. Her day had been going smoothly. She had spent an hour with Wade on his break, helped her father at the practice, it had been a good day, until she had went home. Wade was still busy with work for another hour and her dad let her leave, saying there was no more work for her to do. She wasn't on good terms with anyone else in town, that had left with her nothing to do. Going home seemed, like the ideal thing. It wouldn't be any, fun watching Wade work.

"I know and I'm sorry for that, it wasn't right of me. Can't you look past that? Come spend a few days with me." She wanted to laugh in his face and smack him. She refrained from doing both.

"Why? I'm nothing to you, haven't been for some time now. I like it here." He really had no right to show up the way he had. She was nothing to him, he had said so himself. Seeing him, brought back so many unwanted emotions and memories from losing her mom. She wanted to think that was his intentions all along. Hurt her more than he already had done.

"I'm not here to take you away. I really do feel bad about how I handled things." She scoffed hearing the words. She slowly started to walk backwards, ready to bolt. She couldn't trust this man any more.

"You can't walk back into my life. Not the way you had chose to end it," she snapped, storming off. Tears let themselves freely fall down her cheeks. "Sorry," she mumbled, stumbling into someone.

"You best be," snapped Lemon. Zoe looked up, ready to unload on the teen. Seeing Lemon's red puffy eyes had her feeling concerned.

"You ok?" Zoe asked stepping closer.

"Fine," Lemon huffed, only to sigh a second later. Lemon grabbed Zoe's arm and pulled her off to a small alley.

"You're not going to kill me are you?" Zoe joked to lighten the mood.

"No, I'm not going to kill you," she hissed.

"Ok, you having trouble at school? Family problems? George causing you trouble?" Zoe asked, thinking of a few things that could be wrong.

"Annabeth!" Zoe bit back her response and nodded. "She's suppose to be my best friend, when I need her, she's no where to be found. We had plans, and she blew me off. What could be more important than me?" From the first few run ins with Lemon she could tell Lemon thought the world of herself and that she was the only who happened to matter. That's how she came off to Zoe anyway. Underneath it all there had to be a real person who cared about her friends and family.

"I hate to break it to you, Lemon. But the world doesn't revolve around you. Ever think that maybe, she's dealing with things of her own? She has her own life and things happen. What ever you had planned, forget about it and make sure AB is ok," Zoe snapped, so fed up with Lemon's attitude. Someone needed to put Lemon in her place. After seeing Ethan, she wasn't in the mood to hear how the world should be focused on Lemon Breeland.

"I know," Lemon huffed. "Maybe I need to see what's wrong with her," she sighed. "You tell anyone about this, I swear I will ruin you, she threatened.

"No worries," Zoe smiled, walking off. Maybe it would be ok to hear Ethan out, even if she didn't want too. He had hurt her in the past, she was afraid he would do it all over again. She had made peace with that part of her life, she had never expected Ethan to show up.

"Yo, Zo, what's wrong?" Wade asked seeing his girlfriend, sitting in town square. She looked around, trying to figure out how long she had been there.

"Ethan showed up." Wade nodded, processing that small, but huge piece of news. If he was back in Zoe's life then did that mean he was now out of her life? She said she loves him, she's still wearing the tacky plastic ring. Ethan could give her the word as a father and he couldn't give her anything as her boyfriend. Not even his love.

"Yeah?" He asked getting to his feet. "You have fun with that."

"What the hell, Wade?" He was gone in blink of an eye. Did he no longer want her around? Had he grown tired of her? She had enough on her plate when it came to Ethan, now Wade. What was going on around her? She had nothing to push him away. She pushed herself up and made her way home. Relief washed over her, seeing that Ethan had left. She had a feeling he would be back. After Wade's sudden weird behavior, maybe she should spend a couple of days with Ethan, what was it going to hurt?

"I heard Ethan's in town," Harley commented, that night over dinner. Zoe nodded.

"Yep. Wants me to spend a few days with him, not sure if I wanna," she shrugged pushing her food around on her plate.

"You need to do what you feel is best for you, Zoe. I can't force your hand on this." She had been hoping he would have forbid her in seeing Ethan. She sighed, knowing that wasn't who Harley was.

"I don't know what that is, yet," she sighed.

"Try not to stress about it. You'll figure it out." She found not stressing about this, wasn't going to be easy. She needed to figure out what got into Wade.


End file.
